Buddhism: The Great Indic Religion Founded By Gautama Buddha That Spread Across Continents As Faith And Philosophy

Buddhism is one of the great Indic religions, which was initiated in North India around the fifth century BC by Gautama Buddha. It is based entirely on the teachings of the Buddha, and may be said to have been founded by the Buddha himself. But many Buddhists believe that there were countless Buddhas even before his time, just as there will be many after him.

The history of Buddhism as a religion, begins with the life of Gautama Buddha, a historical figure whose life story is recorded in several early Buddhist texts. The foundation of Buddhism is indeed in the teachings of the Buddha, who lived the life of a wandering ascetic, spreading his message among the people as he moved among them. Starting in India, the cradle of all Indic faiths, Buddhism spread across Asia and is today established as a faith and a way of life, virtually in every continent of the globe.

Many Buddhists regard their faith as a philosophy rather than as a religion. But it is a definite system of beliefs and practises, and there are several sects or schools of Buddhism today, including the two major branches, Theravada (the school of the elders) and Mahayana (the great vehicle). There is also a third branch, Vajrayana, which is recognized by many. In recent times, scholars have seen the birth of several new offshoots of the old faith, which they classify as Modern Buddhism.

If there is one thing that is common to all the sects, it is the basic adherence to a traditional formula in which the practitioner takes refuge in The Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dhamma (the teachings of the Buddha) and the Sanga (the Buddhist community). Modern influences have led to many new forms of Buddhism that significantly depart from traditional beliefs and practices.

Thus, Buddhism remains a faith that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Gautama, the Buddha. Buddhism also continues to be practised by adherents alongside many other religious traditions throughout East and Southeast Asia.

May 1 is sacred as Buddha Purnima.

(Dada J P Vaswani was a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader.)